Chilmark is enduring Stella as I write midweek. She was reported to be a mega-snowstorm but appears to be a windy rainy day that is destroying remnants of the snows of last week. Hard to know what to be thankful for! I am sure the spring flowers that were seduced into sprouting early are enjoying the rinse off.

Congratulations to Jonathan Klaren, who is now our Chilmark police chief. We are all happy for Jonathan and for Chilmark.

The town of Chilmark issued some instructions for handling the storm and sheltering should it be necessary for those who might lose heat or need to leave their homes for storm-related emergencies. We are now encouraged to go to the town hall or the library for warm shelter during the regular business hours of those buildings. When those places are closed the Menemsha Cross Road and North Road fire stations have heat and generators for people to get warm, make phone calls, use the Internet and charge their devices. Should any of us need overnight shelter because of a storm we can use the Chilmark Community Center. Police, fire and EMS personnel will make those arrangements so please call them should the need arise.

Welcome home to Julie Flanders and her daughter, Bella Thorpe, who are back from a February vacation in Kaui, Hawaii. Bella’s friend Sydney Bierman traveled with them.

The dredge company J-Way has been directed by the Army Corps of Engineers to move all of their equipment out of Menemsha by March 21.

Keith Emin, Chilmark’s road superintendent, enjoyed a few days of showing off the town’s new red service truck before he had to strap on the plow and go to work. It is a handsome truck with Chilmark’s logo on the doors. We wish him good luck with it.

Peter and Sally Cook enjoyed a visit from their son, Peter Stan, at their South Road home last week. He resides in Boston.

Stanley Startzell and his wife, Deborah Zetterberg, are at their Larsen Lane home after enjoying a vacation at Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. They report that it is a perfect vacation spot.

And in the who would believe it department...we welcome Senator and Mrs. John Kerry to the Chilmark community. They have purchased a historic waterfront home in Seven Gates Farm. We hope it provides the peaceful Island life that people in public life seem to find in Chilmark.

We send condolences to the friends and family of the Rev. William Starr, who died on Feb. 11 at his home in Chilmark. He was 83 and had spent the past 14 years as a year-round resident of Chilmark. I regret that I never met him as he was the sort of liberal activist I would have enjoyed talking with. At one point in his career he taught at Queens College, my alma mater, and I hope instilled another generation with the need for activism and the desire to seek justice and equality for those who need it. His wife, Susan Strane, daughter, Elsa Starr, son Morgan Strane-Starr, and grandchildren survive him.

Bradley Carroll, daughter of Marshall and Katie Carroll and a junior at William and Mary College. traveled with her roommate Chloe Hanschen to Paris for their spring break. They spent three days seeing Paris and then joined Mariah Campbell, daughter of Beth Campbell of Chilmark, in Barcelona. Mariah is studying abroad this semester in San Sebastian, Spain. They then spent three days touring the heart of Barcelona with Mariah and enjoying the historic sites.

David Wurth, formerly a Chilmark seasonal resident, sent word this week that he mother, Estelle Wurth, died two weeks ago. I hope to have more information soon. David now has his own restaurant called the Crossroads in Hillsdale, N.Y. The family maintained a home on South Road for many years.

The Martha’s Vineyard Partnership for Health is partnering with ACEMV to offer a class called Diabetes and Sugars at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School on April 5 from 3 to 4 p.m. The program is intended to help people manage their daily sugar intake and more. Please pre-register at ACEMV.org.

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.